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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →To stream a portrait video in a landscape 16:9 YouTube Live output, place the portrait picture inside a separate 16:9 canvas. In FFmpeg, scale it to fit, then pad the remaining space; this keeps the whole clip visible instead of cropping or distorting it. Setting -aspect 16:9 alone changes display-aspect information, not the video’s composition.
Choose how to fill the sides
A portrait source and a 16:9 output canvas are different things. The canvas determines the shape YouTube receives; the framing method determines what viewers see inside it.
| Method | Original picture | Side regions | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pad the fitted image | Preserves the entire frame | Bars or a chosen solid color | Simplest and least likely to cut off important content |
| Blurred enlarged background | Preserves the entire foreground frame | Filled by an enlarged, blurred version of the clip | More visually filled, but requires a more complex filtergraph |
| Crop to fill | Some image area is lost | No bars | Use only if the parts cut off are unimportant |
| Stretch to fill | All image area remains, but proportions change | No bars | Can make people and objects look unnaturally wide |
For a first setup, use padding. FFmpeg documents the scale and pad filters, including padding to a 16:9 ratio.
Build a 16:9 frame around the portrait video
Choose the output canvas dimensions explicitly. For a 1080p landscape canvas, use 1920×1080; for 720p, use 1280×720. Then scale the source down, if needed, to fit within those dimensions while preserving its aspect ratio, center it, and pad the rest.
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-vf "scale=1920:1080:force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease,pad=1920:1080:(ow-iw)/2:(oh-ih)/2,setsar=1"This filter chain creates a 1920×1080 output frame. The scale filter fits the portrait image inside it without changing proportions; pad adds equal space on the left and right and centers the image; setsar=1 sets square sample aspect ratio. If you use a 1280×720 canvas instead, replace each 1920×1080 pair with 1280×720.
The FFmpeg command-line documentation explains that -aspect sets video display aspect information. It does not transform portrait pixels into a landscape composition; with stream copy it changes container-level aspect information and does not change any ratio stored in encoded frames. Use a video filter to create the framing you want. See the FFmpeg command-line documentation.
Check rotation and output before going live
Phone videos may carry rotation metadata, and FFmpeg can autorotate input. Inspect the result rather than assuming the source is already oriented as intended. Confirm that the output dimensions are landscape, the portrait content is upright and centered, and no important edges have been cut off. Check the installed FFmpeg version’s filter documentation if a filter option is rejected; the exact filter chain should be validated against your build.
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Set encoder values for YouTube Live
YouTube’s live encoder guidance supports RTMP or RTMPS transport, H.264, H.265 (HEVC), or AV1 video, frame rates up to 60 fps, AAC or MP3 audio, and constant bitrate (CBR) encoding. YouTube recommends RTMPS for encrypted transport, square pixels, a two-second keyframe interval, and says not to exceed four seconds. Use the current YouTube live encoder settings and bitrate guidance when selecting a profile.
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The following are YouTube’s published recommendations in its live encoder guidance, accessed October 3, 2026. They are not a measurement of your clip, computer, or internet connection.
| Output | H.264 minimum | H.264 recommended |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
| 1080p at 60 fps | 6 Mbps | 17 Mbps |
Choose a bitrate your upload connection can sustain reliably, with headroom for normal network variation. YouTube advises testing upload bitrate and choosing a quality level the connection supports; do not treat the recommended encoder bitrate as proof that your connection can maintain it.
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Audio and color settings
- For stereo audio, YouTube lists 44.1 kHz sampling and 128 Kbps in its advanced settings.
- For 5.1 audio, it lists 48 kHz and 384 Kbps.
- For SDR, YouTube lists Rec. 709 and 8-bit depth.
- For HDR, the cited guidance specifies H.265 and 10-bit; AV1 is not supported for HDR in that guidance.
Match settings to the source and intended output. These advanced audio and color values are not requirements to convert every portrait clip to stereo, 5.1, SDR, or HDR.
Configure a YouTube Live stream safely
- In YouTube Studio, create or schedule a live stream and choose the intended visibility and stream settings. YouTube’s interface can change; follow the current live control room labels.
- Copy the stream key from YouTube’s live control room into your FFmpeg input or streaming setup without publishing it. Treat the key like a password: anyone who obtains it may be able to send a stream to your channel.
- Use the ingest server and transport details YouTube provides for that stream. Prefer RTMPS when available, as YouTube recommends encrypted transport.
- Start with a private or scheduled test, confirm YouTube receives the intended landscape output, and inspect stream health before making the stream public.
Do not put a real stream key in a public command example, screenshot, log, or article. If a key is exposed, replace or reset it in YouTube Studio before relying on the stream again.
Looping: separate the repeat logic from the framing
The filters above explain how to create the landscape composition; they do not by themselves define a reliable end-to-end loop. The correct repeat setup depends on how your video and audio inputs are supplied and whether you are repeating one file or transitioning among files. Validate the loop behavior against the current FFmpeg documentation and your specific inputs rather than assuming that a framing filter also handles looping or seamless audio.
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For a repeated file or playlist, test the transition points for black frames, silence, abrupt audio changes, and unwanted pauses. A clip with audio needs particular attention: video and audio must both continue as intended when playback repeats. Do not expose your YouTube key while testing commands or sharing logs.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Preflight and troubleshoot the stream
YouTube Help says, “Make sure to test before you start your live stream.” It also advises testing with audio and motion similar to the planned stream and monitoring stream health during the event.
- The output still appears portrait or square: Confirm the filter is applied to the encoded video output and that the target width and height are landscape values. Display-aspect metadata alone does not create the padded composition.
- The portrait image is cropped: Use aspect-preserving fit behavior with
force_original_aspect_ratio=decrease, followed bypad. Avoid a fill-and-crop approach unless losing picture area is intentional. - The image looks stretched: Check for scaling that forces the source directly to the canvas dimensions. Fit it within the canvas while preserving aspect ratio, then pad.
- The filter fails to parse: Check quoting in your shell and confirm the installed FFmpeg build accepts the filter options. The example is a filter pattern, not a command verified on every build or operating system.
- YouTube reports poor stream health or the stream drops: Compare the selected bitrate with the connection’s sustained upload capacity, then lower the output profile if needed. Recheck stream health after changing settings.
- The stream connects but has no usable sound: Preview the actual audio input and repeat transition, confirm an audio stream is present in the output, and test with representative content before going public.
- The stream will not authenticate: Verify that the current stream key and ingest details match the live event in YouTube Studio. Replace the key if it may have been exposed.
Keep a prerecorded loop within YouTube’s rules
Having permission to stream a file matters: use video and audio you created, licensed, or otherwise have the rights to broadcast. A successful FFmpeg connection does not grant copyright permission. Check the current YouTube policies and rights for any music, footage, or other third-party material in the loop. Repeated or prerecorded content should also add genuine value for viewers; do not assume that a technically continuous stream guarantees compliance with YouTube monetization or reused-content rules.
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